Gyeonggi-do to Launch Freelancer Online Platform Service from the 15th...Nation's First

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has launched an online platform for 'freelancers' within the province. Freelancers are atypical workers who are self-employed individuals mainly engaged in content creation and the information and communication industry.

Gyeonggi Province announced that it will officially start the service of the online platform "Gyeonggi Freeway (Free:way)" on the 15th, which provides not only job information for freelancers but also personal promotion and legal consultation functions.

Gyeonggi Freeway means "showing the way for freelancers" and is the first public service of its kind started by Gyeonggi Province nationwide.

Gyeonggi Freeway offers various services targeting domestic freelancers, including freelance job information, legal consultation, video education support, and personal promotion.

The platform first provides job information. To activate the platform initially, it plans to register various jobs, even small or one-time tasks such as translation, lectures, and performances, in cooperation not only with Gyeonggi Province but also with cities, counties, and affiliated public institutions.

Freelancers can check the jobs posted by public institutions and others on the online platform, then make individual inquiries and conclude contracts. Conversely, freelancers can also register their information on the online platform for personal promotion.

Online legal consultation and video education for preventing unfair damage are also provided.

Freelancers are often not recognized as workers under labor-related laws such as the Labor Standards Act, and thus frequently do not receive protection against unfair practices.

If freelancers access Gyeonggi Freeway and apply for legal consultation regarding unfair damages such as contract non-fulfillment, unclear work scope, or unilateral contract termination by the client, the Gyeonggi Province Fair Trade Support Center provides online responses and telephone consultations.

Kim Ji-ye, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Fair Trade Bureau, explained, "Through the establishment and operation of Gyeonggi Freeway, we believe we can realize the core values of the 8th elected administration, 'more opportunities, more equal opportunities,' for freelancers who are socially and economically vulnerable."

Meanwhile, there are 145,000 freelancers in the province, accounting for 27.6% of the nationwide total (526,000). By activity field, freelancers include 45,000 in education, consulting, and legal services; 18,000 in information and communication (IT) development services; 18,000 in medical, health, and social welfare services; and 15,000 in music, comics, animation, and games.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.